Loading summary
Transcript50 lines
- [00:00]
Sponsor/Advertiser
I've been on the hunt for a supplement routine that actually sticks, and Vital Vitamin's Age Defying Bundle is at the top of my list. It's three capsules that pack a punch when it comes to looking good, feeling sharp, and aging gracefully. The multi collagen complex plus is a simple beauty from within. Step 5 Types of collagen plus biotin, hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C Supporting skin, hair, nails and even joints. BrainBooster plus is next and it's like a mental reset button. It supports focus, memory and mental clarity without the jitters. And then there's nad. This one's all about cellular energy and healthy aging. The most appealing thing is how easy it is to stay consistent. Six capsules, one habit. No messy powders, no blender, no fuss. It's simple and it can make your routine feel sustainable. Vital Vitamins is offering my listeners 20% off all orders with Code Moth@myvitalvitamins.com that's that's Code Moth@myvitalVitamins.com for 20% off all orders. Before Mint Mobile, my phone bill felt like a mystery. Overages, hidden fees and strange extra charges every month. But switching to Mint Mobile changed all of that. If you're still paying for wireless, it's time to say yes to saying no. At Mint Mobile, their favorite word is no. No contracts, no monthly bills, no overages, no hidden fees, no bs. I made the switch and now enjoy premium wireless for just $15 a month. Mint Mobile plans come with high SPE, unlimited talk and text, all on the nation's largest 5G network. I love getting high quality coverage without paying a fortune. Finally, wireless that actually makes sense. Ready to say yes to saying no? Make the switch@mintmobile.com moth that's mintmobile.com moth Upfront payment of $45 required, equivalent to $15 a month Limited time new customer offer for the first three months only. Spend speeds may slow above 35 GB on unlimited plan taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details.
- [02:06]
John Good
Welcome to the Moth Podcast. I'm John Good, your host for this week. Originally coined as Armistice Day by President Woodrow Wilson in 1919, the day we now hold as Veterans Day is a day that elevates and celebrates those who stood a post around the world in defense of freedom. Every year on November 11, we remember and honor their commitment, service and sacrifice. Our first story this week comes from Scott Young. Scott told this story at a Grand Slam in London, where the theme of the night was Lost and Found. Here's Scott live At the moth.
- [02:55]
Scott Young
If I'm complimented at all on my physical appearance, it's usually one of two things. My thick, full beard or my beefy, muscular legs. I get both from my mother. She's only 5 2, but she is built thick and has a hirsuteness many men would envy. I grew up to the acrid smell of the wax she boiled mornings to remove the whiskers from her chin. Yet all I ever heard growing up was, just like your father. Now, I knew that wasn't physical because my dad's 64 and had a baby smooth face and, as my mother liked to say, had to run around in the shower to get wet. He was so skinny. Not the jeans I got. So what was it about me that made me like my father? It's hard being compared to a ghost. See, my father died fighting in the Vietnam War when I was only 2. He was 21, and he had a choice. He could get released from active duty one month early or he could spend a week on leave in Hawaii with my mother and I. He chose to get out of active duty early. He died a war hero, killed by mortar fire rescuing injured soldiers on the week he would have been in Hawaii with us on my mother's birthday. If you wrote it as fiction, your editor would cut it because it's not believable, but it's my life. My father was drafted because he quit his job, left my mother and I, and took off to San Francisco for what he hoped to be the second Summer of Love. I can hardly blame him for that. He came back with a draft notice and said he was against the war and he wanted to ditch the draft and for my mom and I to run away to Canada with him. My mother said no. My mother said, be a man and fight for your country. Her regret is deep. Now, when kids would ask me about my father and I'd say, he died in the war, they'd always say, I'm sorry. And I'd say, don't be. I never knew him. I was super defensive, and I resented their pity. But I was angry and I didn't know why. So I just sort of buried those feelings. I did know that the Vietnam War veterans didn't get any parades. Nobody spoke with pride of serving in the one war America lost. And nobody back then honored my mother and I by calling us a Gold Star family. The Vietnam War was a mistake. It was an embarrassment. And there was no space for me to be proud of my father, this war hero. So I wasn't. I was 24, when I decided to go to Bill Clinton's inauguration, kind of last minute idea. And I was buoyed by his win, hopeful for the future. And I wanted to see this monument that they'd built for the Vietnam War veterans. And I knew my dad's name was on, and I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. So I purposely decided I wouldn't choose which day I would go there. So it was the third day I was there, and I found myself standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, looking down at the black gash of granite, and decided it was time. Now, when you enter, you can give them the name of a person and they'll print out a piece of paper that shows you the location so you can find it. And I couldn't believe what the paper said. It said, ronald l. Young, born January 19th. It was January 19th. He died when I was two. We never celebrated his birthday. The only birthday I thought of with my dad really was my mother's, the day he died, which was always a miserable experience, but still, I randomly decided to go. That day I found my father's name on the wall. I ran my fingers over the etching facing the high black gloss of the Vietnam War Memorial is like seeing yourself through a mirror darkly. All of the complicated feelings around the Vietnam War are embodied in the monument designed by Maya Lin. It is a splendid visual metaphor. I could see the Washington Monument proud, reflected as though through a bleak haze. And I reflected for the first time in my life on my own loss. Standing there in the sea of flowers, mementos, notes, American flags of all sizes, burning candles everywhere at my feet, I was overwhelmed. I suddenly realized, you know, all those times people said sorry and I said, don't be, I never knew him was exactly why they were sorry and why I was so sorry.
- [08:03]
Tom Sitter
Now.
- [08:06]
Scott Young
I wept. A stranger came up to me and put their arm around me while I cried. When I finally looked, I was stunned to see it was just a young girl, too young to be the daughter of anyone on the wall. She beared witness to my grief. We didn't speak. We didn't have to. I've now lived through 30 more years than my father did. I never fought in a war, and I don't think I'm anybody's hero. But people still say, well, honestly, mostly my mother, you're just like your father. And now, now that makes me proud. Thank.
- [09:01]
Tom Sitter
You.
- [09:06]
John Good
That was Scott Young. Scott has always been a storyteller, from spinning fantastical tales in the playground to publishing articles about LA nightlife to creating marketing narratives. As a creative director, Scott believes that we find life's meaning through story. To see some photos of Scott's family and of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, head to our website themalth.org extras.
- [09:34]
Sponsor/Advertiser
Have you ever noticed that purple shop pay button when you're checking out online? The one that makes buying something way too easy in the best way. That's the magic of Shopify. Shopify doesn't just make it easy to buy, they make it easy to sell. They're the commerce platform behind 10% of all e commerce in the US. With Shopify you can tackle everything in one place. Inventory, payment, analytics, even marketing. Want to sell around the world? Shopify helps you reach over 150 countries prefer in person. Their award winning point of sale system connects your online and offline sales seamlessly. It's the best converting checkout on the planet. Your customers already love it. Stop seeing carts going abandoned and turn those sales into Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com mo go to shopify.com moth shopify.com moth the holidays are coming. The air is crisp and there's nothing better than layers that feel as good as they look. That's why I'm loving Quint's this season. Their sweaters, outerwear and everyday essentials make holiday dressing and gifting so effortless. Quince has it all. $50 Mongolian cashmere sweaters, denim that never goes out of style and down outerwear built to handle the season. All for 50% less than similar brands I've been living in. Their cashmere sweaters so cozy and flattering. And the Italian Suede Shopper tote is perfect for holiday traveling. It's become my go to bag for flights. Step into the holiday season with layers made to feel good, look polished and last. From Quince, perfect for gifting or keeping for yourself. Go to Quince.comMoth for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.comMoth to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.comMoth.
- [11:34]
John Good
Our next storyteller is Tom Sitter. Tom told this story at a story slam in Madison where the theme of the night was karma. Be sure to stick around after the applause to hear a one of a kind conversation that I had with Tom. Veteran to veteran, here's Tom live at the mall.
- [11:56]
Tom Sitter
Thank you.
- [11:58]
Hi, my name is Tom Sitter, 93 years old and still breathing. Now, during World War II, I found myself in France. Now, the Battle of the Bulge had started in December of that year and continued through January. When we got there, it was pretty much over. But we were. I was in a medical battalion and we had to clean up pretty much. We carried bodies and parts of bodies and prisoners to station hospitals into the 8 cents. Now over there, we ran into our arch enemies, the Night Armored Division. These guys were all tankers and they were mean. And we had both trained in Kansas during. Near Fort Riley during World War II. And we in the cavalry. I was in the cavalry at the time. We had these great uniforms, boots and breeches, and they really, really turned a lot of heads. And we knew it. We were pretty cocky. Anyway, we'd go into town and when the tankers would be there, oh, by the way, in 42, they still had horse cavalry down in Fort Riley in addition to the mechanized cavalry. So when we go into town, the tankers be in these bars. They come, and we'd come walking in and they'd say, I smell horseshit. The 29th must be here. And we gave as good as we got. As a result, there were a lot of fights going on, a lot of. And we would instigate fights where we'd sing a cavalry song. Bear with me. We'd say, the cavalry, the cavalry with dirt behind their ears. The cavalry, the cavalry, they drink up all the beers. The infantry and tankers and the Corps of Engineers, they couldn't whip the cavalry in 100,000 years. That created quite a. Thank you. That created a lot of fights too. Anyways, when we got over to Europe, we ran into the 9th Armored Division. I'll tell you how, when we first landed the 20th Armored Division, 12,000 men, tanks and armored cars and jeeps and everything else. The first thing they did when we landed in France was to break us up into segments. And they put us with the 1st, the 3rd and the 9th Army. So we were part of the 9th army up near the Rhine. We were next to the British and Canadian troops. And during that time we did ambulance duties and moved wounded and dead. But we noticed when we got up to close to the Rhine, our hearts sank. We knew first of all the Germans, when they retreated after the battle, they blew up bridges all the way. And we knew that when we got to the Rhine, we saw that immense body of water. We knew our hearts sank. We knew we were going to have to cross it, probably in rubber rafts or tiny boats. So we didn't look forward to that. And my rosary got a pretty good workout during that time.
- [15:15]
Anyway.
- [15:17]
Finally, this was. By now, it was February of 1945. Now, the Rhine river started as a trickle in the Swiss Alps. And when it comes, goes northeasterly, flowing into the North Sea, it becomes a huge river, you know, hundreds of yards across. And we just were frightened at the thought of crossing that. By early March, we had good news. Someone had captured a bridge at Ramagen. It was a railway trestle bridge. And it was captured by our old arch enemies, the 9th Armored Division. Great guys. So anyway, we finally, we reunited. The 20th Armored Division finally went to the point where we were going to cross. Now, the 9th Armored Division had fought terribly hard to win that. The Germans tried to blow up the trestle bridge. And what happened is some of the charges, for some reason, God only knows, that didn't go off. So the ninth Armor had to go into that trestle crawling under fire and to cut iron, cut wires, remove charges that didn't detonate at any moment, they thought the thing would go up into their face. And then at the top of it, the bridge now was intact, but it was tilted and very shaky. You couldn't get a vehicle across there. So the night IRA dismounted, had crawl under fire, went across that bridge one at a time under fire, and established a bridgehead on the other side of the river. And they held that bridgehead. Those lucky so and so's held that bridge long enough for pontoon bridges to be built. Where we were, well, the 20th Armored Division finally was united and we were going to cross at that point. Now, when we got in our ambulance, we started off for us a pontoon, a very flimsy pontoon bridge. The big bridges, sturdy ones, were for tanks and trucks. But as we got onto this pontoon, I could tell it was shaking. We were swaying from side to side and dipping and everything else. And the water was choppy and the water was black and it was cold. It was in March, and we knew that if we made one mistake, that ambulance was going to go into the water with us in it. And in doing so, we're going to wreck that pontoon bridge. Which means that if we survived the water floating downstream, our own troops would have been shooting at us. And who were waiting to cross the bridge, of course. Well, we finally got across the bridge. We went over. On the other side of the bridge, we reunited. And the 20th Army Division was attached to the 2nd, the 7th Army. And we swept through Germany. Now we went through down along Mannheim and Augsburg and south and east and finally got to Dachau. Now that's another story I won't go into. We got to Munich and finally we crossed the river and got into Bavaria. And as we headed towards the Austrian border, we almost reached it on May 7, 1945, and the war ended. Now, yesterday was May 7, and.
- [18:40]
John Good
I.
- [18:40]
Tom Sitter
Mean, talk about 72 years. And to this day I'm here telling that story because I wouldn't be here had it not been for those, the incredible bravery of those glorious bastards. The 9th Armored Division.
- [19:07]
John Good
Let's hear for Tom Sitter. That was Tom Sitter. Tom was born on August 16, 1923 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He's a retired building and fire inspector and World War II combat medic who served in the European Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns. In his 40 month army service, he was a motorcyclist in both the mechanized cavalry and military police. A medic, bugler, boxer and litter bearer. Litter bearer is not what it sounds like in this instance. Litter means stretcher. Tom currently resides in Madison, Wisconsin. In the conversation you're about to hear, it is my distinct honor and privilege to speak with Tom about his life and service in the army. Hello, this is John. Is this Mr. Tom Sitter?
- [20:15]
Tom Sitter
This is he, yes.
- [20:16]
John Good
Fantastic. It is an honor and a pleasure to have this conversation with you. First off, as always, I'd like to thank you for your service, for all that you have done for this country and for us. I myself, I was in the Marine Corps during the first Desert Storm and guys like you definitely like paved the way for guys like me to come along and just follow in your footsteps. You were a very young man when you joined the army, like 20 years old, is that correct?
- [20:44]
Tom Sitter
I just turned, yeah, I just turned 19. 1942, yeah.
- [20:50]
John Good
Wow. So what, what inspired you to enlist?
- [20:55]
Tom Sitter
I had a Hollywood version of what the war was all about. You know, I had no idea what war or anything was really like, but we were all filled with enthusiasm in those days. Young guys.
- [21:07]
Right.
- [21:09]
John Good
So once you got in and got enlisted and did boot camp and went over, how did that change you as a person? Like once you saw what war really was, how did that, I guess inform these formative years of yours?
- [21:23]
Tom Sitter
Well, over a long period of time, it made me a pacifist and abhor war. I wasn't until after I'd been in combat for a while and then I lost my very best friend Roy Sanders, who was killed with 36 infantry. I gradually, it wasn't a sudden thing. It was like over the years I just Thought that war was so, so useless. Nobody really wins in a war.
- [21:55]
John Good
What's one of your most vivid memories from your combat days?
- [22:00]
Tom Sitter
Our division was one of two that liberated that cow, the concentration camp. And that is something I will never, never, ever forget. It was just mind twisting to see people treated like that.
- [22:17]
John Good
Well, on May 7th of 1945, when Germany surrendered, with all you had been through, like, how did that feel to you? Do you remember that date?
- [22:26]
Tom Sitter
Yeah. I tell you, for one thing, the war was winding down. We knew the last week or so of the war there was hardly any resistance at all. Germans were coming out of the woods with their hands up. Hundreds and hundreds of Germans trying to surrender. Had to be very careful. Some of them would come out of the woods, they'd get shot.
- [22:45]
John Good
Oh, wow. When you heard they surrendered, where. I mean, you knew ahead of time. But when you got the official word was. Was it just thoughts of like, oh, well, you know, we're heading home now?
- [22:55]
Tom Sitter
Yeah. We were down in Bavaria, very close to the Austrian border and Berchtesgaden, which was. Which was Hitler's mountain retreat. I had the privilege of going through that place too. That was really something that never forget we were going through. We got. Everybody was on a rush. Everybody assumed that Hitler was hiding down there when the war was ending. We ran a race after we left Dachau to get to Berchesgarden to capture Hedren. Martin Borman.
- [23:32]
John Good
Oh, wow. Okay.
- [23:33]
Tom Sitter
The French were also headed in that direction. And 101st Airborne. 101st Airborne got there first, so they took over at Berchtesgaden. So when we got there, we were swarming through the place like a bunch of locusts, you know, trying to get souvenirs. I did pick up a couple, but anyway, I heard a couple guys, hey, sitter, sitter, come in here. I walked in this big bathroom. It was the largest bathroom. And we assumed it was Hitlers. And they're both taking a leak into bathtub. And I went with them. I want to be known as somebody that pissed in Hitler's bathtub.
- [24:15]
John Good
Listen, I think you should get business cards and that should be.
- [24:19]
Tom Sitter
Yeah, I thought they had that show on TV years ago. I've got a secret. I thought, get on that show. They never guessed in a million years what I did.
- [24:32]
Oh.
- [24:33]
John Good
So after you, you know, after your enlistment was over, after you got out of the army, how was your adjustment back to civilian life?
- [24:43]
Tom Sitter
We got back. Here's millions and millions of young guys looking for jobs. Jobs are really hard to Find and you didn't have much choice. But we got out early enough in, in January of 1945, and the bulk of the guys getting discharged were still still in service. So we got ahead of a lot of guys. So. But there weren't. We were unskilled. You know, we had to take what, whatever job was offered. But I was struggling along with a lot of other guys. It didn't, you know, the skills that we learned in service were not helpful.
- [25:17]
John Good
Right. So now, you know, at the age of 98 years young, having, you know, lived through World War II and having served and having seen everything that's come since all of the other wars, what advice do you have for like the younger generation or the world at large today?
- [25:37]
Tom Sitter
Oh, boy. Probably all the things that my mother taught me. Try to be honest. Don't never lie to yourself. It's. Many of us have done that. We've done things that were wrong and we lied to ourselves to do it. Treat people like you would treat themselves. And I've learned to hate bigotry. I don't have much hate for a thing, but there's a lot of disgust for people that are bigoted, which is.
- [26:06]
John Good
Something because, you know, World War II, I mean, part of what's at the root of that war is bigotry. You know, at the root of bigotry is ignorance. And then, you know, once you're around a group of people and you get to know them, then you're like, oh, wow, most of what I've been told isn't true.
- [26:19]
Tom Sitter
Yeah. Yeah.
- [26:20]
John Good
And you know, in the military, they would always say, you know, we're all the same in a foxhole. There is no black, no white. We're just, we're in here together trying to push toward the same goal. And speaking of goals, I heard that a few years back you won the story slam in Madison.
- [26:38]
Tom Sitter
Yeah, I won.
- [26:40]
John Good
Fantastic. That's. That's the best experience.
- [26:42]
Tom Sitter
Yes, I, I'm bragging now, but I was probably the first one ever to get a 10.
- [26:47]
John Good
Oh, I love it. I love it. You should put that on your business card. I I Urinator in Hitler's tub and the first person to get a 10 at the Madison storage lamp. Well, Tom, thank you so much for your time today. We greatly appreciate it.
- [27:01]
Tom Sitter
It was nice talking to you.
- [27:03]
John Good
All right, bubba. To see some photos of Tom, head to our website themoth.org extras. That's all for this episode from all of us here at the Moth have a story worthy week.
- [27:24]
Scott Young
John Good is an Emmy nominated writer raised in Richmond, Virginia and currently residing in Atlanta, Georgia. John's work has been featured on CNN's Black in America, HBO's Deaf Poetry Jam, and TV One's Verses and Flow. He has written a collection of poetry and short stories entitled Conduit and a novel entitled Midas. John is a fellow of Air Serenby and current host of the Moth Atlanta. This episode of the Moth podcast was produced by Sarah Austin, Janess, Sarah Jane Johnson, Julia Purcell, and me Davey Sumner. The rest of the Moss leadership team includes Kathryn Burns, Sarah Haberman, Jennifer Hickson, Meg Bowles, Kate Tellers, Jennifer Birmingham, Marina Cluce, Suzanne Rust, Brandon Grant, Inga Gladowski, and Aldi Kazza. All Moth stories are true, as remembered by storytellers. For more about our podcast, information on pitching your own story and everything else, Visit our website themoth.org.
- [28:29]
Sponsor/Advertiser
You know that moment when you're on the edge of a discovery that feels important, but the information you need is scattered, complex, or hard to find. That's where Claude comes in, an AI thinking partner that can search the web to gather context, surface relevant sources, and help you make sense of the details. Picture someone diving into a topic that looks straightforward at first but quickly reveals layers of history, data and perspectives. Claude helps navigate that complexity not by writing for you, but by bringing together information, asking the right questions, and providing the context you need to think deeper. Claude doesn't rush toward quick answers. It digs into different angles, finds unexpected connections, and organizes information in a way that lets you see the bigger picture. Whether you're digging into a new hobby, analyzing research, or simply trying to understand the full context around a topic, CLAUDE matches your curiosity and goes beyond easy answers. Try CLAUDE for free at Claude AI Themoth and see why the world's best problem solvers choose CLOD as their thinking partner. The Moth is supported by AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca is committed to spreading awareness of a condition called hereditary transthyroidin mediated amyloidosis, or hattr. This condition can cause polyneuropathy like nerve pain or numbness, heart failure or irregular rhythm and gastrointestinal issues. HATTR is often under diagnosed and can be passed down to loved ones. Many of us have stories about family legacies passed down through generations. When I was five, my mother sewed me a classic clown costume, red and yellow with a pointy hat. It's since been worn by my sister, three cousins and four of our children. I'm so happy this piece of my childhood lives on with no end in sight. Genetic conditions like HATTR shouldn't dominate our stories. Thanks to the efforts of AstraZeneca, there are treatment options so more patients can choose the legacies they share. This year, the Moth will partner with AstraZeneca to shine a light on the stories of Those living with Hattr. Learn more at www.myattrroadmap.com.